Overview
- A day after confrontations in Kolkata, ASHA workers staged fresh demonstrations across districts including Paschim Bardhaman, Nadia and Bankura on Thursday and warned of intensifying the movement next week.
- On Wednesday, police detained numerous workers en route to Swasthya Bhawan and erected barricades at Sealdah and Howrah stations to restrict access to the health department headquarters.
- Scuffles broke out when protesters tried to breach barricades, police said a knife was recovered, and drone surveillance was used over Salt Lake.
- Traffic was disrupted for hours in central Kolkata and Salt Lake as about 1,000 workers regrouped, blocked key roads and some were detained, while a small deputation was allowed to submit demands.
- The union lists a Rs 15,000 monthly honorarium, Rs 5 lakh insurance for death on duty and employee status as key demands, and says the cease-work that began on December 23 will continue.